By: D. Vicente Salcedo. qualified as a canine ethologist and clinical behavior, degree granted by the Association for the Study of the Dog and Its Environment (AEPE)
Before analyzing the theme of "potentially dangerous dogs" should consider what we mean or what is the meaning of that label.
If we look in the dictionary of the Royal Academy of the English language meaning of "potential" will find the following: "What can happen or exist, as opposed to what exists", ie has the potential to be dangerous but it is not. Therefore, the next task is to determine whether there are potentially dangerous breeds.
objectively analyzing the issue, it is clear that the larger breeds have greater potential to harm small breeds. However, they have a greater potential not more aggressive than other breeds with a lower potential, in the same way that a person trained and educated in the techniques of combat or a person with strong muscles, has a greater potential for harm but experience shows that not make it any more aggressive. A person hypertrophy their muscles in a gym or learn to fight in a martial arts academy, not the more bellicose. Likewise, a policeman and a crook armed with a gun have the same potential to kill, but all agree that the police does not represent a danger to society and this because it lacks the aggression of the offender. Therefore we conclude that the dangerousness of an individual is not in strength but in their aggression . Let us therefore analyze the aggression in dogs and determine if there are more aggressive than other breeds.
aggression can be divided into two main sources: the organizational and behavioral causes. Of course, a cause does not exclude the other, and that can be taken at once. The aggressiveness of organic cause, such as hypothyroidism or any pain, not exclusive of any race and therefore not serve to determine whether a breed is more dangerous than another. While it is indisputable that certain diseases are more prone to certain breeds, such as ear infections in dogs of large ears or dysthymia in Cocker. There is also more likely in certain breeds hip dysplasia, which is responsible for removing it going breeders of many breeds now very battered by this pathology, as the German Shepherd.
On the other hand we find the cause behavioral aggression. All animals display aggressive behavior when in conflict with their instincts (survival and reproduction). We understand that this is not exclusive of Canis familiaris and common to many species, all those with ability to fight and hurt, thus excluding only those species that rely on its defense strategy mimicry and / or flight. In addition, fighting in these situations is an adaptive strategy, necessary and, therefore, common to all species. A conflict there are only three alternatives: fight, flight and avoidance and the animal will choose one or the other depending on the value of the resource that is at stake in this conflict. So a dog can escape from another animal that would harm, but is forced to fight if cornered, they eliminated their chances of escape and avoidance. As I say, this is common to all breeds and even many species, including our own: the species Homo sapiens . So every dog \u200b\u200bshow aggressive behavior when threatened its application, space and access to females, all dependent on two factors instincts. Of course, territoriality and dominance are also factors dependent on their natural instincts and therefore for all races.
So, what makes a dog shows aggressive behavior in situations where other dogs do not show such behavior? Only learning.
canine behavior is marked by the interaction between genotype and environment.
Genotypefirst analyze canine. The genes inherited from parents have an unquestionable influence on physical features of the dog, however not the case with behavioral traits. Geneticists have conducted studies that have shown that behavioral traits are inherited genetically at a rate close to zero for almost not inherited, unlike the fear factor, which has a higher heritability. Without doubt, fear can be a source of aggression and also of great danger, because of fear aggression can be very fierce to endanger the very survival of the animal, whether true or not that his life threatened, just that he and interpret. It is the task breeders and breed clubs to control and eliminate breeding dogs with her fearful behavior. It goes without saying that fear, as essential to the survival factor, exists in all races, but its excess is not typical of specific breeds, but specific individuals, far removed from the balance between stimulus and response or "sensory homeostasis" by an excess of fear. Thus we reach a clear conclusion: aggression is not dependent on genetics, but from experience and learning .
After analyzing the issue of aggression reached the clear conclusion that all dogs bite , In the same way that every child knows hitting, and that what makes a dog bite in situations where you should not do is just learning. As proof of this just look at the statistics to prove that deaths from dog attacks are mostly caused by dogs not classified as "potentially dangerous." But whose learning aggressive behavior? Since the dogs spend a very short period with the mother and brothers and are separated from those at an early age is not difficult to deduce that such learning is given by humans, either consciously or through ignorance. Thus, by scientific arguments, it is clear aggressive behavior stems from a dog owner malpractice rather than racial characteristics or phylogenetic .
therefore potentially dangerous dogs are there? Of course, all dogs with a weight or strength to cause damage, which covers almost all breeds and mongrels. If we add those races capable of causing injuries to children we have to add to ALL breeds and mixed there.
How do you solve the problem of canine aggression? By discipline and control, which can only be implemented through appropriate training of the owner or the help of a professional dog properly trained to enforce strict discipline and strict control over the dog, punish, not a race, but any individual that knowingly abets any dog \u200b\u200bto carry out attacks unjustified. It is thus clear and scientifically argued that the danger is not in the dog but on the bearer, in the same way that guns do not kill, do people who hide behind them and pull the trigger.
Then I take the liberty, with the permission of the reader, to leave scientific objectivity and provide my personal opinion on the current tenure law Potentially Dangerous Dogs.
From my experience, trying cases of aggression, I can see that in the vast majority of cases where my help is requested, these are small sized dogs, and I mean a very high percentage bordering on 100 %. The reason is simple: there is a high tendency for owners of small dogs and hiperapego overprotection, and that small dogs tend to be more "cute" than the big race at least until they show aggressive behavior in which the tenderness becomes dread. On the other hand, the large size dogs are usually purchased by people young and strong character, in short, people who are placed upon the dog and in many cases stand up to threats clearly showing his authority. That's the main reason that most attacks are carried out by small-sized dogs, not big dogs. Of course there are also large size dogs aggressive, but people ignorant and undesirable there are many and all kinds of dogs, however do not see so much permissiveness in large dogs given the small size. In short, we always return to the same concept: aggression in dogs is not the result of race one, but the action of owners ignorant, uninformed or morons who want stunning dogs. Always the owners.
Since the beginning of artificial selection have focused on breeding towards specialization and enhance the ability of certain breeds for specific tasks. It is true that formerly had also attacks by dogs, but aggressive individuals were killed instantly. The dog was bred for a specific function and not as a pet, creating a screen between individuals who were unsuitable to perform its functions apart from the breeding and keeping well, dogs balanced and functional. With the introduction of the dog as a pet appear new problems. How can we select dogs bite? Simply because people are not prepared to have dogs. People purchase them without the slightest notion of canine training and discipline.
Then there are the dogs selected for beauty, chosen solely by their physical characteristics and leaving out the character. So many dogs appear beautiful but unbalanced, fearful and ultimately, morons. From there harshly condemn this type of breeding, which only takes into account the physical characteristics or physical Standard tend to be neglected dog most important aspects of living with the human being is character.
Similarly condemn those who created, and keep advised today as absurd law. Why would a government that can provide the best advice from experts before enacting a law, go to a club of breeders and trainers, omitting animal behavior experts, geneticists, etc? A law was passed without the opinion of adequately trained staff in universities and in the specialties that correspond to the topic that concerns us.
The result of bad advice and people who know little of the topic has been an absurd law and now suffer crazy dog \u200b\u200bowners unfairly labeled. It is absurd to the point of creating a black list with 8 races and then create the attachment 2 with the characteristics of each dog to be classified characteristics that meet most of those 8 races, which fall into a redundancy with the only intention to crush these races. On the other hand there are many races that conform to Annex 2 and do not require licensing, such as German Shepherds, Belgian Shepherd, Mastiff of all kinds, etc..
Without doubt, the race most affected by this senseless act has been the American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT) This is due to its reputation as a fighting dog and the absurd campaign waged against him by the media. On the issue of dog fighting (which I condemn with great hardness) I must say that only a small percentage of APBT's down from the fight or fight today, and that race was not created for it, as many think. Furthermore invite anyone reading this article to get under the skin of a "dog fighter" and picture in the ring with his dog. These animals fight to win rounds to prevent the first arrest. Dogs must be separated when the judge indicates. How would the reader, if a fighter and his dog bit him to separate from another? Would undoubtedly do the same thing as fighters Dogs: Kill him. With it, and unwittingly conducted an artificial selection in which every dog \u200b\u200bthat bites a person, despite the high arousal state of the animal, is executed and therefore does not breed. The result is a collection of dogs trained to kill other dogs, but harmless to humans.
I can only say to those who hold this absurd law, just as we receive a course of driving and driver education before they can drive, they should educate people who want to own dogs. Problems are solved with culture and, unfortunately, in this country need a lot of culture canine
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